plankter

Etymology

Borrowed from German Plankter, from Koine Greek πλαγκτήρ (planktḗr, “wanderer; one who leads another astray, beguiler”), coined on the model of German Plankton (“plankton”). Πλαγκτήρ (Planktḗr) itself derives from Ancient Greek πλάζομαι (plázomai) (the mediopassive of πλᾰ́ζω, plắzō, “to turn away from (something); to roam, wander”) plus -τήρ (-tḗr, a suffix forming masculine agent nouns from verbs). By surface analysis, it breaks down as plankt- + -er.